Weak Nominal Income Growth Impacts on the Insurance Sector in 2002

In 2002, private insurers saw their revenues from premiums grow in alignment with GDP at current prices. Due to price increases, property and liability insurance once again expanded its traditional dominance. For 2003, revenues from premiums are expected to rise slightly above the growth rate of GDP at current prices. The international insurance market was similarly shaped by a shift to non-life insurance. Emerging economies posted an above-average growth rate, as did the CEE countries, which gave a boost to Austrian insurers active in Central and Eastern Europe. By 2002 they managed to obtain almost a fifth of their total premium revenues from that region.